Traditional craftsmanship, natural materials and innovative technology are the holy trinity of design for Dana Cannam, the Canadian talent whose Clamp Lamp for San Francisco-based Pablo Designs deservedly took the 2012 RedDot Award. Dana combined the organic beauty of walnut and white oak with the long-lasting brilliance of LED technology to great effect. A compression fit system allows the three main components to be adjusted endlessly without extraneous components. The LED arm can be easily moved up, down or 360 degrees around the post. The clamping part effortlessly grips to a table edge of any thickness. It also takes up minimal space on a work space or in a home setting. Focus and adjust the warm diffused light where needed by the touch of a button.

SPECIFICATIONS

SIZE

26.5" h x 2" w 27" l (67.3x5.1x68.6cm)

DETAILS

Available in white oak with red cord, or walnut with black cord

Arm rotation is 360°

Minimal footprint means more work space

Up to 24" (61cm) of height adjustment

Ergonomically positioned hi-low dim control

LED life is rated at 50,000 hours

Replaceable light head

Advanced LED array eliminates multiple shadowing

Brightness-enhancing technology provides focused beam control and glare-free use

“Lighting is undergoing a revolution at the moment,” says Venezuelan-born designer/entrepreneur Pablo Pardo, who’s leading the disruption with the mix of cutting-edge technology and always-cool minimalism behind his signal brand Pablo. As he puts it, nowadays, “you can build smarts right into the lamp.” Internationally recognized, the San Francisco company was started 20-odd years ago and now Pablo racks up design awards regularly for its more than 40 technology-driven and elegantly sparse collections worldwide.

The lighting industry thought-leader credits his upbringing in a family of artists and engineers for the always forward-facing Pablo style, which embraces innovations such as LEDs and flat-panel light. “Lighting is also shrinking in size: LEDs are so small that you can put them almost anywhere,” he adds. “So the standard iconography of a lamp with a shade is being upended.”